County of Marin Health and Human Services

Community Epidemiology Program

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and causes of health and disease in populations. The Community Epidemiology Program supports the mission of the Department of Health and Human Services to promote and protect the health, well-being, self-sufficiency and safety of all people in Marin County.

The Community Epidemiology Program is part of the Division of Public Health and supports other units within the Department of Health and Human Services as well as provides services to the public. The primary goal of our work is to use data to improve the health of the community. Understanding health problems in our community helps agencies assess and evaluate programs, and assign limited resources more effectively.

The Epidemiology Program is responsible for the collection and analysis of health-related data in our community. These data, when analyzed, guide the development of health policies and programs in Marin County. The Epidemiology program describes the health of our residents; communicates the results of this work to a range of audiences; and provides epidemiology support and training to Department programs and community partners.

Our scope addresses community health concerns such as cancer (breast, colorectal, lung, prostate and uterine cancer, melanoma), substance use (alcohol, tobacco, prescription drug use), heart disease, infectious disease (HIV/AIDS,vaccine-preventable diseases, foodborne disease outbreak investigations), obesity, social determinants of health (poverty, education, built environment), emergency preparedness, and birth and death statistics.